In a show of defiance against the National Council for Peace and Order and the police, about 200 motorcycles – many of them were illegally souped up to increase the horsepower of the engines – took part in illegal road racing in Muang district of Surin province early Thursday morning.

Parents of the 63 young motorcycle street racers and pillion riders today came to Bang Pongpang police station to place 20,000 baht each as cash deposit to guarantee that their children will not go to the street race again or else it will be confiscated, and parents facing 3-month jail term and extra 30,000 baht fine.

They came to place the deposit with the police after their children have finished a week-long rehabilitation programme and training at the army camp since their arrest since July 17.

At the police station, some parents voiced opposition to the cash pledge to guarantee that their kids won’t return to the race agsin, reasoning that it was a heavy burden for them.

Some said they have to borrow money to pledge and they also doubted the handling of the police in concluding quickly that their kids were street racers.

What they should do is just set up a designated area for them to race. Even in Korat I see these racers all the time. Typically, they choose the stadium on the 304 to race and the bypass from Mittaprap to the 304. You can see all the burn out marks there. I come from a racing background myself, racing 1/4 mile for several years. Sure, I did my share of burnouts and donuts on the street, but any serious racing I did at the tracks.